Korean Job Discussion Forums

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

In which country (or city) did you have the best over all experience teaching English in? Besides voting, please write explain your reason for voting for a particular country here in this thread.

Was it the hospitality? the attractions? the variety of foods? the working conditions?

Hightop · Joined: 11 Jun 2003

If you were not concerned with saving money then you could just pick the country that you like the most and find a position there that has few working hours and enjoy your life. I am pretty sure than in all of these places you could find a job working 3-4 hours a day 3-4 days a week and live well with nice food, some kind of attractions and when you are not worried about money you can shop around for a job that offers the best working conditions.

Sorry, back to the OP. I am gonna say China, I did not teach English there but it is great place to live if you are not Chinese, delicious food, a dump truck full of sites to see and of course it is so vast there are places for people who like all different kinds of weather. Chinese people, on the whole, are cool too, they are not afraid to talk to a waygook. I had a German roomate in Beijing who worked 3 hours a day 5 days a week in a school teaching English and it was enough money for her to live off no problem.

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I think it hinges on how you define 'best.' Professionally, I have a good career in Korea which pays decently and has a future.

My vote and heart is with Mexico, though. I taught there for a year. The party started the day I arrived and ended the day I left. It was a much more fun place to live and work, and the people and culture were far more enjoyable. But as a job the work conditions and pay were poor.

roadwork · Joined: 24 Nov 2008 Location: Goin' up the country

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I taught in Poza Rica, which is a small but fairly affluent oil town on the gulf coast, straight east of Mexico City. I made about US$600 a month, which was a good living for there. As there was a sizeable middle class, there were numerous English 'hogwans.' The gulf coast area is less touristed and the summer was pretty sultry, so you give up on being clean for several months. But it was near beaches and pretty colonial towns, and Veracruz, site of awesome carnaval celebrations.

To be honest, my idea of Mexico before going there was pretty much out of Speedy Gonzales cartoons. The Mexicans I met down in the southeast were friendly, good-natured people, and the food was more fish and fruit based than tacos and beans.

http://keneckert.com/pictures/mexico/mexico1.html

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

Thanks for the photos of Mexico. I'd say for the lack of compensation for your work, you instead got an experience that money can't buy. Lucky you! Excellent!

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

I should have skipped Juarez, & got a flight south! Great pics!

Craven Moorehead · Joined: 14 Jan 2006

There is something to be said for teaching English in Canada. Not working for a Korean boss rocks, and being actively involved in a first rate education system definitely has its benefits.

Vox_Populi · Joined: 04 May 2009 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Personally, I'd love to teach for a year at some point in Russia (since I speak fluent Russian though I've never actually been there). The economy there's in the toilet now though so few schools are hiring. Plus, I'm now in a very serious relationship with a Korean and even if he wanted to follow me to Russia, there'd be no work for him.

jboney · Joined: 14 May 2008 Location: Northern Seoul

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Electron cloud

I vote Korea simply for the money

If I could do same hours, same job in Japan and save same money and have same lifestyle I'd be gone.

Not that I haven't and am not having a good time here but from what I've heard from friends that live in Japan, a lot of the stresses and problems we get here don't happen there and they seem much much happier.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Just shoot for any country in which it is presumed acceptable to finish a sentence with a preposition. Work your way around from there. Laughing

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

demaratus · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:36 pm Post subject:

I have taught in Korea (currently) and Taiwan. Both are good places to teach. I feel Taiwan was a better place for me to teach, live and travel. But its all relative to the person. You can save in both places, both allow a great lifestyle, and both places have lots to do and see.

The differences for me were the weather (Southern Taiwan is semi-tropical), money (I was able to save more in Taiwan), and ease/affordability of travel as Taiwan has far cheaper and closer flights abroad.

I like both though.